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Olympic sprinter and long jumper Jesse Owens (Stephan James, left) shares a moment with his fiancée, Ruth (Shanice Banton, right), before leaving for the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games in the new fact-based drama, “Race.” Photo by Thibault Grabherr, courtesy of Focus Features.

Fulfilling our destiny often seems like a daunting prospect. Can we achieve it? Are we willing and able to do what it takes to rise to the occasion? And what if we undertake that task under intimidating circumstances, especially if there’s much at stake and the whole world is watching? Those are among the questions raised in director Stephen Hopkins’s inspiring new biopic, “Race.”

In 1936, German Chancellor Adolf Hitler (Adrian Zwicker), leader of the notorious Third Reich, sought to use his country’s hosting of the Berlin Olympic Games as a platform for propagandizing the Nazi ideology and the rise of the Aryan race. Through a carefully constructed plan orchestrated by Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels (Barnaby Metschurat), and documented cinematically by his hand-picked filmmaker, Leni Riefenstahl (Carice van Houten), the Führer wanted the event to showcase the glories of fascist society and the qualities he believed constituted human perfection. But those grand plans were significantly undercut by the remarkable accomplishments of someone who represented the antithesis of Hitler’s blonde-haired, blue-eyed ideal, a talented African-American athlete from Cleveland, Olympian J.C. “Jesse” Owens (Stephan James).

In the run-up to the Olympics, Owens – a natural sprinter and long jumper – refined his abilities at Ohio State University under Coach Larry Snyder (Jason Sudeikis), himself a onetime world-class contender. And hone those skills he did; at the Big Ten championship track and field meet in 1935, for example, Owens set three world records and tied a fourth – all in a span of 45 minutes. He would later best rivals like fellow American Eulace Peacock (Shamier Anderson), emerging as one of the shining stars of the U.S. Olympic team. Indeed, with a performance record like that, Owens seemed destined for greatness in Berlin.

But, as the games approached, Owens also faced a future full of uncertainty. While he was anxious to compete, he was also under considerable pressure to abstain from participating as part of a growing American protest against Hitler’s policies toward minorities, particularly Blacks and Jews. The arguments in favor of a proposed U.S. boycott certainly had merit, but so did those in favor of competing, with proponents contending that a conspicuous American presence would serve as a striking counterpoint to the German propaganda machine. This disagreement even led to a schism within the ranks of the U.S. Olympic Committee, with president Jeremiah Mahoney (William Hurt) leaning in favor of a boycott and influential committee member Avery Brundage (Jeremy Irons) lobbying for participation. Brundage argued that American success on the playing field would send a powerful message to the Germans and the world at large, and he believed that Owens was a prime candidate – in more ways than one – for serving as the messenger.

Owens’s Olympic challenges weren’t the only ones he faced; he also had his share of struggles on the home front, particularly with money. He worked a variety of jobs while attending college, looking for ways to generate enough income to support himself, his unemployed father (Andrew Moodie), and his fiancée, Ruth (Shanice Banton), with whom he had a young daughter, Gloria (Kayla Stewart (age 2) and Yvanna-Rose Leblanc (age 4)). Fortunately, he also had his share of backers, like Snyder, who made sure Owens had what he needed to stay on track with fulfilling his destiny.

By the time the Olympics rolled around, Owens didn’t disappoint, either, handily capturing three gold medals in the events in which he was originally scheduled to compete. He also won an unexpected fourth gold when he was named as a last-minute replacement to an American relay team. And, even though his success infuriated the likes of Hitler and Goebbels, Owens emerged as a fan favorite at the Berlin games, even among such unlikely supporters as Riefenstahl and European champion long jumper Carl “Luz” Long (David Kross), who Owens defeated in front of his home crowd. His was a performance that won the day – and stood the test of time.

Owens’s achievements made their mark not only because of the athleticism involved, but also because of the statement they made. As someone who embodied the opposite of what Hitler considered the ideal human, Owens effectively rebuked the inflated, arrogant claims of innate superiority put forth by the German Chancellor, and he did so without hubris, taking his accomplishments all in stride. But, then, Owens didn’t need to resort to blatant chest-thumping to make his point, because he knew he could reach his goals, a mindset that grew out of a firm faith in his beliefs in himself and his abilities. That’s to be expected, however, when one becomes proficient in the practice of conscious creation, the philosophy that maintains we manifest the reality we experience through our thoughts, beliefs and intents.

Employing conscious creation to make a statement represents an especially effective use of this practice, because it reflects the metaphorical nature of how the process works. The act of making a statement essentially involves the materialization of a symbolic, outward expression of something inherently intangible, a physical representation of something intrinsically conceptual, one that innately embodies what this philosophy is ultimately all about. For his part, Owens proved a master at this.

When one recognizes what a realization like this signifies, the impact is often considerable, perhaps even profound. In fact, the effect may be significant enough to change the hearts and minds of others, including those whose views might seem unlikely to be swayed, such as Owens’s long jump competitor and Hitler’s partisan documentarian. Such is the power that drives conscious creation, a force that can not only yield stunning outcomes but that can also serve as the impetus for shifting viewpoints, perhaps even changing the world.

Reaching that point, however, requires that certain qualities are in place when the process is put to use. First, the ability to envision the desired outcome is crucial, because it helps shape the manifesting beliefs that need to be put into place to produce the hoped-for result. When it comes to this particular conscious creation application, athletes are among its most proficient practitioners, because they must be able to picture where they want to end up before they even begin. For example, a quarterback winding up to throw a pass doesn’t toss the football to where his receiver is; he throws it to where his receiver is going to be. Likewise, when a golfer tees off, he swings his club to drive the ball to where he wants it to land, a practice that requires him to envision where he wants it to end up before he even initiates the process. A similar practice underlies the accomplishments of track stars like Owens, who picture the results they want to attain before the starter’s pistol ever fires.

Second, conscious creators must also weed out whatever impediments might get in their way. This involves eliminating beliefs associated with fear and doubt, the chief elements that undercut our manifestation efforts. Such notions contradict what we seek to achieve, so putting them out of mind is essential to fulfill our objectives. Thus, by approaching things confidently and courageously (even heroically), we stand ourselves in good stead to bring about what we want. Owens undeniably employed such tactics in his quest, both in terms of fulfilling his athletic goals and in making a statement through his acts and deeds.

Like so many other landmark occurrences, the story that plays out in this film is also a prime example of a consciously co-created mass event in which numerous participants join forces to collectively manifest a single scenario consisting of multiple lines of probability, multiple individual experiences and multiple life lessons. While the Berlin Olympics represented a distinct, singular event, the games contained within them the diverse experiences of many collaborators, including Owens, his coach, his family, his teammates, the U.S. Olympic Committee and the German hosts, all of whom had different underlying reasons (and beliefs) for creating what they ultimately did. Events such as this effectively illustrate the broad range of diversity that conscious creation makes possible and how those various lines of probability can all be explored through a collective individual experience. The shared outcome makes for a great tale, one that lends further credence to the insightful words of poet Muriel Rukeyser, who wrote that “The Universe is made of stories, not of atoms.”

“Race” tells its inspiring story beautifully with great production values, gorgeous cinematography and effective re-creations of Owens’ heroic athleticism. It effectively captures the look and feel of both Depression Era America and a resurgent Germany in the days before the start of World War II. It also capably weaves multiple story lines into a cohesive whole, providing sufficient background and insight into their various events and principals without becoming bogged down in excessive detail or undue confusion.

With that said, however, the film is also somewhat schmaltzy and rather formulaic at times, with sometimes-uneven performances, inconsistent pacing and occasionally trite dialogue. Still, the film will tug at the heart, prompting audience members to succeed at their goals, surpassing self-imposed limitations and doubts. This is far from landmark filmmaking, but it certainly makes for stirring viewing, especially for those who aspire to live out their own greatness.

It’s impossible to talk about this film without addressing the double entendre embodied in its title, a choice of wording that relates not only to Owens’s athletic ambitions, but also to the prevailing conditions of the backdrop in which he competed. In line with that, it’s interesting to see how the film illustrates the variable degrees of treatment Owens received when it came to the matter of race. While he was treated fairly by supporters (like Snyder and Brundage) and kindly by admirers (like Long and Riefenstahl), he was also subjected to the open prejudice and disdain of detractors, like Hitler and Goebbels, who snubbed acknowledgment of his achievements, a congratulatory gesture routinely afforded to all of the games’ other victors. It’s also interesting to note how many Americans openly objected to the Führer’s racial policies while hypocritically tolerating segregationist practices not all that different in their own homeland, a duplicity that becomes all too apparent when Owens attends a banquet at a New York hotel and is forced to use the service entrance, ironically at an event thrown in his honor.

Like many other films that profile the stories of minority athletes competing under challenging circumstances (such as “Glory Road” (2006), “42” (2013), “The Express” (2008) and “Pride” (2007)), “Race” effectively draws into focus the indignities of the past and how far we have come. It also serves as a poignant reminder, given today’s sometimes-stressful race relation issues, how diligent we must be to preserve the progress that has been made, lest we run the risk of losing it and backsliding into the unacceptable ways of the past.

Attaining our destiny is perhaps the greatest challenge any of us will pursue during our lifetimes. It requires us to aspire to the greatness within us, reaching deep down inside to find the sparks of inspiration and confidence needed to achieve that goal. But, as long as we possess a keen awareness of our beliefs and the conscious creation process that puts them to work, we stand a great chance of living out what we were meant to do. Owens’s inspiring example sets a standard for all of us to follow, one that encourages us to each go for the personal gold that we know we’re capable of achieving.

Saul Ausländer (Géza Röhrig, left), a prisoner assigned to a special and particularly gruesome work detail at the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp, seeks to carry out a noble though seemingly impossible mission in the gripping new drama, “Son of Saul.” Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

When hell descends on earth, preserving anything that even hints at our innate humanity may seem like an impossible task. Just staying alive under such conditions may require everything we have, rendering the act of saving anything morally worthy a virtually unattainable luxury. But the value of engaging in an act like this may also prove to be the only thing that allows someone to persevere under such trying circumstances, a scenario pointedly depicted in the gripping new Hungarian feature, “Son of Saul” (“Saul fia”).

Saul Ausländer (Géza Röhrig) leads a sickeningly ghastly life. As a Sonderkommando in the Auschwitz concentration camp, he’s been consigned to a special prison work crew charged with aiding his Nazi captors in the gruesome task of exterminating his fellow Jews. While he’s comparatively fortunate, having successfully evaded an otherwise-automatic death sentence, Saul must nevertheless face the day-to-day horrors of having to corral his peers into the camp’s gas chamber, scrub down the floor after each execution session and shovel the cremated remains of the dead into a nearby river. And, despite the reprieve this work affords, Saul knows he awaits a similar fate several months down the road after he’s outlived his perceived usefulness.

Despite these unspeakable circumstances, Saul somehow manages to get through his days by putting up an emotional barricade to block out the atrocities as best he can. Yet something happens one day that pierces this fortified exterior and touches him profoundly. While scrubbing the floor of the gas chamber, he discovers a young boy (dually portrayed by Gergö Farkas and Balázs Farkas) who, though weak, has somehow managed to survive his attempted execution. Saul watches as the child is taken aside and examined by German authorities to see if they can determine how he escaped what should have been certain death – after which he’s quickly and unceremoniously suffocated. The boy’s body is then transferred to the morgue for an autopsy to determine how he failed to succumb to the gas.

Saul is moved by the miracle of the boy’s survival, despite his ultimate demise at the hands of the Germans. He accompanies the corpse to the morgue, where he

Saul Ausländer (Géza Röhrig, right), a prisoner assigned to a special work detail at the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp, asks an unusual favor of a camp physician (Sándor Zsótér, left) who is also a prisoner in director László Nemes’s debut feature, “Son of Saul.” Photo by Ildi Hermann, courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

makes a request of the attending physician (Sándor Zsótér): Instead of callously tossing the boy’s body onto the pile of remains awaiting cremation, Saul asks the doctor to give him the corpse so that he might conduct a proper burial for the child, one preferably officiated by a rabbi. The doctor, who is himself a prisoner, sympathizes with Saul’s request but says he’s unable to comply. However, Saul is determined to see his plan through, to provide the young victim with a semblance of humanity where none exists, even if it’s the last thing he does.

Saul thus sets out on a quest to extricate the body from the morgue, to find a way to perform the burial and to locate a rabbi from among the camp’s prisoners to oversee the proceedings. But this mission proves far more difficult than initially imagined. In addition to attending to his required work tasks, Saul finds himself having to cut deals with his fellow Sonderkommandos to see his goals realized. In the process, he becomes embroiled in the plans of a resistance movement seeking to document the camp’s atrocities and to stage an armed rebellion. He also becomes caught up in the feuding of rival prisoner factions seeking to curry favor with guards and other camp officials as a means of prolonging their own lives. It often carries Saul far afield from his objective, yet he never gives up, moving forward and doing whatever it takes to stay alive and to see his goal realized.

In the midst of conditions like these, it’s hard to fathom anyone being able to focus on anything other than sheer survival. The daily challenges of doing whatever it takes just to keep from being sent to one’s death must be overwhelming. Yet, even when ensconced in such pervasive horrors, Saul manages to hold on to his belief that bestowing a modicum of dignity upon someone is still indeed possible. And, as he goes about seeking the realization of that ambition, he draws upon every bit of inner strength he can muster to bring it about.

Saul Ausländer (Géza Röhrig, right), a prisoner assigned to a special work detail at the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp, frequently runs afoul of German authorities, such as Oberscharführer Busch (Christian Harting, left), in the gripping new release from Hungary, “Son of Saul.” Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

No matter what belief system one subscribes to, it’s at times like this when one’s faith in it invariably gets seriously tested. For those who adhere to the practice of conscious creation, the philosophy that maintains we create the existence we experience through our thoughts, beliefs and intents, holding fast to that mindset must seem nearly impossible under conditions like this, if for no other reason than wondering how and why we’ve ended up under such circumstances in the first place. But, when one adds to that conundrum the hope of seeking the fulfillment of some additional seemingly unachievable objective, it’s difficult to imagine how one could possibly carry on. And yet Saul persists in his endeavor, convinced of the validity – and inevitability – of its materialization.

As conscious creators are well aware, all possibilities are capable of manifestation if the beliefs supporting them are sufficiently strong and clear. In Saul’s case, he’s certain that his goal can be attained by holding firm to his beliefs in the idea. He can envision it, seeing the intangible notion ultimately being made tangible. For some, that might seem wholly unrealistic, but, for Saul, it’s a belief that keeps him going, one that enables him to forge on. A belief that humanity indeed can survive where it seemingly should perish is a powerful notion, an idea that just might be sufficiently potent to eventually be realized – and to sustain its creator long enough to see its ultimate fulfillment.

In reaching a point like that – especially under circumstances like these – it’s highly likely that one would be willing to do whatever it takes to see the outcome materialize. And so it is with Saul. Given the fate that he’s facing for himself, in many ways he has nothing to lose to see his goal fulfilled. With an awareness such as that, it becomes comparatively easy to cast aside our fears – the limiting beliefs that frequently undermine our manifestation efforts – and to live heroically in seeking the attainment of our objectives. If Saul must come to terms with the prospect of his own impending death, he probably finds it preferable to go out embracing what he holds dear than to transition with thoughts of good intentions remaining unfulfilled.

Many would likely believe that it’s impossible to contemplate lofty philosophical notions such as these in a setting as utterly grotesque and devoid of humanity as a

Saul Ausländer (Géza Röhrig), a prisoner assigned to a special work detail at the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp, routinely engages in gruesome tasks like scrubbing the floor of the facility’s gas chamber in the visceral new release, “Son of Saul.” Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.

concentration camp. But, considering the prevailing conditions of a place as wicked as this, if one can’t bring forth at least a shred of it under such circumstances, then one could argue there’s little hope for the human race at all. Thankfully, there are characters like Saul to remind us of this – and of the importance to hold on to our belief in it, no matter how bleak things may seem.

“Son of Saul” is a decidedly troubling film to watch, but it’s also one that triumphantly speaks to our humanity and the need to never lose sight of it. Filmed mostly up-close with hand-held cameras, director László Nemes puts viewers squarely in the middle of the story, allowing the audience to experience the gruesome, inhumane indignities firsthand while skillfully hinting at the horrors taking place around them without resorting to gratuitously graphic depictions. Géza Röhrig gives a moving, quietly powerful performance as a man determined to see through his sacred mission, frequently getting more impact out of a simple gesture or facial expression than any line of dialogue. The strongly visceral feeling this picture evokes is definitely not for everyone, but, for those willing to summon up the courage and allow themselves to be exposed to the inspiration of this experience, this one should not be missed. The film is currently playing in limited release in theaters specializing in foreign and independent cinema.

“Son of Saul” has been lavishly praised in this year’s awards competitions, having won the Critics Choice Award and the Golden Globe Award for best foreign language film. Earlier in 2015 the picture won four Cannes Film Festival awards (including the FIPRESCI Prize and the Grand Prize of the Jury) on six total nominations (including a nod for the Palme d’Or, the Festival’s highest honor). The picture is also nominated in the foreign language film category in the upcoming Independent Spirit and Academy Award competitions.

Regrettably, man has all too often figured out ways to degrade and destroy his peers. Fortunately, however, he has also learned the wisdom of qualities like compassion, mercy and dignity, forces more meaningful and powerful than anything he could ever use to inflict harm on his fellows. And, thankfully, no matter how great the perils might be that threaten to consume us, we always have the ability to draw upon these finer attributes to see us through, provided we believe in their merits and are willing to allow their magnificence to shine through. Saul Ausländer provides a glowing example of this, lighting the way through the darkness and leading us to a state of being to which we should all aspire.

It can be a wonderful feeling when our heads are filled with ideas. Envisioning and considering the possibilities is an often-exhilarating experience, enthusiastically infusing our minds with a tantalizing array of prospects. This is especially true for those seeking to map out strategies for achieving particular objectives. But the process can also become easily overwhelming, leaving those once-excited heads spinning perilously out of control. Such are the circumstances detailed in the captivating new historical drama, “Pawn Sacrifice.”

In 1972, the world was mesmerized by a seemingly unlikely event – a chess tournament. To be sure, this time-honored “game of kings” had long had more than its ample share of followers, but, in this match, the stakes were higher than just proving which participant was the better competitive strategist. The contest pitted Soviet world champion Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber) against upstart American challenger Bobby Fischer (Tobey Maguire) at the height of the Cold War. The competition was a sort of proxy conflict between the two nations, with their respective representatives serving as surrogate warriors. And the event’s understood though unstated aim was to prove to the world which side was intellectually superior – and thus worthy of allegedly deserved respect and admiration.

While the planet was spellbound with what was transpiring on this improbable global stage, there was an even more fascinating story unfolding behind the scenes, particularly where America’s contender was concerned. It was an unusual tale that began years before the tournament, eventually culminating in a tense, often-bizarre series of events in which a host of considerations ranging from geopolitical perceptions and personal sanity came up for grabs. And that back story, told largely through flashbacks, provides the basis for the narrative of this film.

Growing up in Brooklyn in the 1950s, a young Bobby Fischer (Aiden Lovekamp) and his half-sister, Joan (Sophie Nélisse), were raised (albeit somewhat haphazardly) by their single mother, Regina (Robin Weigert), a Jewish nonconformist who enjoyed the company of many suitors and fellow freethinkers, including a number of left-wing sympathizers. Regina had a variety of ambitions, such as entering politics, but, because of her ideological leanings, she believed she was the subject of covert government surveillance during the rise of McCarthyism. Given his mother’s freewheeling lifestyle, Bobby was often left in the care of his sister or on his own, spending much time alone. It was during such periods of solitude that he took up the game that would become his passion – and his obsession.

As a teen (Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick), Bobby sharpened his skills, becoming the game’s youngest-ever grandmaster. He began participating in world-class tournaments, rising through the ranks on the global chess stage. But, as his standing as a world-ranked competitor grew, so, too, did his reputation for being outspoken, such as when he publicly called out the Soviets for underhanded, unfair, collusive practices during international matches, accusing them of manipulative tactics that essentially ensured continued Russian dominance of the game. He subsequently withdrew from competition, refusing to play under such conditions.

World chess champion Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber) meets his match in a high-stakes tournament in the engaging new period piece drama, “Pawn Sacrifice.” Photo by Tony Rivetti, courtesy of Bleecker Street Media.

Despite these objections, however, Bobby couldn’t stay away from the chess board. So, when he was approached to resume competing by attorney Paul Marshall (Michael Stuhlbarg), who offered to serve as Fischer’s manager, Bobby agreed to come out of his self-imposed retirement. With the support of Marshall and coach Father Bill Lombardy (Peter Sarsgaard), Bobby rejoined the world chess circuit, participating in tournaments aimed at grooming him for taking on the Russian greats, including world champion Boris Spassky.

To get Bobby back into the game, Marshall did virtually whatever it took to appease his client’s wishes, demands that grew progressively more numerous, insistent and capricious over time. But Marshall was willing to go along with these whims to see his goal realized, an objective with an agenda greater than just promoting the success of an aspiring chess champion. Marshall saw the geopolitical implications if Bobby were to prevail over the Soviets, along with the personal spoils that would come his way from furthering such a noble pursuit. And, as a somewhat shadowy figure believed to have highly placed U.S. government connections, he was able to pull the necessary strings to grant Bobby’s wishes.

Bobby’s success made him an overnight sensation, his popularity elevated to that of a rock star. His celebrity earned him numerous interview requests, including from such high-profile television programs as 60 Minutes and The Dick Cavett Show. Who would have thought a chess player would attain such acclaim?

However, as the stakes progressively grew, the pressure on Bobby began to mount, taking a severe toll on his mental state. Given the circumstances under which he was competing, he began to feel paranoid, seeing conspiracies at every turn. He believed a cabal of Communists (and, ironically enough, Jews) were out to get him. He became convinced that his opponents and their minions were engaged in clandestine activities to monitor his communications, poison his food, control his mind and blow up his plane. He even began to suspect that his closest advisors were part of the plot against him, with his sister (Lily Rabe) being the only person he felt he could trust. In short, Bobby thought he was being manipulated like one of the pieces on his chess board, and the pressure was pushing him toward a breakdown.

Still, despite these challenging circumstances, Fischer’s handlers successfully managed to convince him to compete in the world chess championship against Spassky in Reykjavik, Iceland. But, with so much turmoil transpiring behind the scenes, it was unclear what the outcome would be and whether the match would even come off. The world was riveted with the high-stakes drama playing out on the chess board while those closest to Bobby held their breath over whether he’d be able to hold it all together.

As anyone who has ever played chess realizes, it’s a game of probabilities, with a virtually limitless number of possible moves. In that sense, it’s not unlike the practice of conscious creation, the means by which we manifest our realities through the power of our thoughts, beliefs and intents. According to that philosophy, at any given moment, we have access to an infinite range of options for creating the existence we experience, depending on the beliefs we hold, all of which are capable of taking us in myriad directions – just like the moves on a chess board.

With the stage set in Reykjavik, Iceland, American chess champion Bobby Fischer (Tobey Maguire, right) prepares to take on Russian and world champion Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber, left) in a high-stakes tournament in “Pawn Sacrifice.” Photo by Takashi Seida, courtesy of Bleecker Street Media.

Given the nature of the game, however, assessing the range of available options can easily become overwhelming – if not maddening – something that one might argue happened to Fischer (and, to a certain extent, Spassky as well). By continually playing out the options in one’s mind, it’s easy to see how someone could become so wrapped up in the innumerable possibilities that one’s focus might turn to preoccupation and eventually mental paralysis. Under such conditions, it’s unlikely we’d be able to get anything done, becoming perpetually locked in a state of psychological atrophy.

But one need not be preoccupied with chess moves to become mired in such a state of mind. While the ability to consider and assess multiple probabilities can certainly be beneficial in our conscious creation pursuits, the ability to make effective use of our power of discernment is just as important. Indeed, anyone who is unable to effectively discern which options to explore and/or implement in a particular endeavor runs the risk of becoming irretrievably stuck. That can become especially crucial if we begin to blur the lines between what’s “real” (i.e., what we have successfully managed to manifest) and what’s “imagined” (i.e., what we have been able to envision but have not fully brought into being). It’s at this point where paranoia and delusion can set in – and where others may begin to suspect we’ve lost it.

Considering Fischer’s highly focused mindset, it’s easy to see how such circumstances might have come to pass in his life. And, when those conditions were compounded by the considerable pressure placed on him (particularly the geopolitical concerns involved), it’s amazing he didn’t crack up at the time. Unfortunately, the same could not be said about Fischer’s later years, when everything would come crashing down on him, wiping away all of his success and accomplishments. He became a sort of pariah, his incoherent ramblings leaving him isolated and destitute.

While it may be impossible to pinpoint the exact causes of Bobby’s downfall, the conditions associated with the global chess championship may have contributed significantly. Even though the tournament was billed as a showdown between Fischer and Spassky, its implications were much more far-reaching, pitting the U.S. versus the U.S.S.R., East versus West and Communism versus Capitalism – essentially a metaphorical global chess match with critical implications writ large. In that regard, the competition was, in fact, a mass event, not just a one-on-one contest, and the opposing forces’ proxy warriors were, in essence, not unlike the pawns on the field of play between them. Given that, despite the potential personal rewards at stake for each of the contestants, it’s easy to see how they might have come to feel like personified versions of the chess pieces they maneuvered around the board.

In light of the foregoing, then, is it any wonder that someone like Bobby might have come to feel unduly manipulated, that his interests were ultimately secondary to those with bigger (and possibly more nefarious and self-serving) agendas? Of course, the more stock he placed in such beliefs, the more they became reflected in the reality he believed he was experiencing. All of which helps to illustrate the power of thought – and what it can do to shape our perceived existence.

“Pawn Sacrifice” is an excellent period piece film that effectively captures the look and feel of the era, especially the seemingly omnipresent hype that was associated with this story at the time it was unfolding. Director Edward Zwick has produced a capable biopic, though at times it’s a little thin on back story, especially Fischer’s upbringing, how he became obsessed with the conspiracy theories that consumed him and how he came to know his inner circle of handlers. Nevertheless, despite this drawback, the picture features a knock-out, award-worthy performance by Maguire, as well as fine acting turns by Stuhlbarg and Schreiber. As one of the first entrants in this year’s awards season releases, this picture is an excellent offering, one that merits serious consideration by those involved in the nominating process.

Managing and disciplining our beliefs is essential to effective use of the conscious creation process. Without it, we can easily spiral out of control, losing a grip over our existence, even if it seems pregnant with possibilities. With our reality – and possibly our sanity – at stake, we need to temper our envisioning ability with practical common sense. It may be all well and good to have our heads in the clouds, but it won’t mean much if we can’t keep our feet on the ground.

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Shayne Traviss

Sometime's growth involves digging up the dirt and planting anew...
After over 20 years of marketing, promoting and producing others I've decided to open a new chapter in my life.
If you long to go higher, live a life 'all in' join me as I dive in deep sharing my life experiences, travels and inspirations for living a VividLife.

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Founded by Shayne Traviss formerly VividLife.me was an online resource for personal growth through over 10,000 blogs, audio conversations and videos, from thought leaders, best-selling authors and wellness experts from around the globe. VividLife.me provided engaging conversations on consciousness and human potential with Arianna Huffington, Jane Fonda and Alanis Morrissette, wisdom packed blogs from spiritual Icons Iyanla Vanzant and Ram Dass, Green Tips from David Suzuki’s Queen of Green, Advice from Award Winning Parenting and Relationships Experts, Recipes from Vegetarian, Vegan, Raw Chef’s and more… and reached and inspired over 3 million people around the globe.
However sometime's growth involves digging up the dirt and planting anew...
And after over 20 years of marketing, promoting and producing others Shayne Traviss decided to open a new chapter in his life.
If you long to go higher, live a life 'all in' join him as he dives in deep sharing his life experiences, travels and inspirations for living a VividLife.